Thanks for stopping by Refresh with Dawn Herring. I hope you enjoy browsing through the postings and get to know me a bit better.
I'm Dawn Herring, host of #JournalChat Live and Links Edition for all things journaling on Twitter and Facebook. I'm also a writer and artist focused on refreshment, journaling, and positive change. Email me at refreshwithdawnherring@gmail.com with any questions or comments you may have. Thanks and enjoy your stay!

Thursday, August 14, 2014

When we are in transition, change is inevitable. I suppose that's why transition can often create challenge and difficulty for us; so we don't like change necessarily. Change means we have to do things differently than before when we've gotten so used to the way things were.

But that can also mean that we're in a rut. Sometimes it's good to change things up.

But what kind of transition are we talking about?

There can be the kind that we don't necessarily choose. The kind that blindsides you, like when you lose your job or your house goes into foreclosure because of financial difficulties or a relationship comes unraveled and you simply don't know how to put it all back together.

These kinds of transitions can throw us off our center, even for long periods of time. That's why it's so important to listen carefully to our inner wisdom so we can move through these transitions as authentically as possible, paying close attention to Who We Are and Who We Are Becoming.

Because with transitional change comes inner change as well.
But are we resisting that inner change?
Is it triggering questions about Who We Thought We Were?
Are we finding ourselves reckoning with possible Illusions about Who We Thought We Were?

That can make a transition painful, but if we choose to be honest and gentle with ourselves as we face these changes, we can slow down and take a closer look and really listen to our hearts and determine what is our most authentic path.

Perhaps these changes are a gift and we just don't see the ribbons or bows just yet.
Not all packages come in fancy attire. Sometimes they're just plain and we don't realize the gift that is inside, that is showing us Who We Really Are and it's the most beautiful thing we've ever seen in ourselves.

That can truly take us by surprise. But what a lovely surprise it is.

That can make that transition transform into one we now Choose for ourselves, knowing we are now following more readily our authentic path that we had found ourselves lost without. But we have found it once again, and now we know where we want to go and maybe, just maybe, we have the courage to follow that path into a place we thought we'd never reach. But it's just right there. We just have to go a little further.
We just need to hang on and not give up.

The world we live in needs to see us not give up and to follow our authentic path so others can be encouraged to follow their's, just in the nick of time because they almost turned away too.

You can never know how you can help make the world a more courageous, authentic place by choosing your authentic path, whether or not you feel afraid or doubtful or discouraged or wonder if you're simply crazy for wanting to go in this new direction you've never been on before but you know it's totally right for you and so you will go there.

But you know you need to have Faith that the Universe will be with you every step of the way so you are not alone. No, we are NOT alone. All is well.

So, be strong. Don't be afraid.
Listen to Your Heart.
When you're in transition, see it as a gift given to you from the Universe as your way of getting back on your authentic path, and as you walk it, look out for all the good stuff that's coming your way and don't give up when you meet up with resistance, because it will come. It's only part of the process.

But don't give up. Stay on the path. Be strong and full of courage.
Then you will see the sun rise and you will see good things come to pass.
Just believe and be strong.
You won't regret your authentic path; it is a winning way.
The only way that will truly satisfy.

Accountability: to give a reckoning or explanation for one’s actions, responsible.

When most people think of accountability, they often negatively associate it with answering to others, such as a spouse, a friend, a mentor, or, in most cases, a boss. As a writer, you are your own boss, which is one of the reasons that you need to be accountable to yourself. And it can be a positive experience rather than a negative one.

The first step in being accountable to yourself as a writer is setting goals for your writing and keeping track of projects you want to finish. Incurring a deadline for yourself can help

motivate you in this area. This step can also include daily writing goals. Some authors plan how many words or pages per day they will write.

I’ve set goals for myself as a writer by making them reachable and attainable. This year I have set a goal to write at least one scene for my novel per week and at least one other piece,

whether it be memoir or essay, per week. That can mean just making notes, writing a first draft, or revising a draft.

As long as your goals keep you moving forward and you’re making progress, then you know you’re headed in the right direction.

Once you have your goals set, the next step in accountability to yourself is writing down what you accomplish each day. You can use a daily calendar just for writing or keep track of your

daily accomplishments on your computer. I designed a custom monthly writing calendar. It helps me track what I write daily, whether or not I’ve met my goal for the week, and it has

space for ideas for future writing pieces. I also have a spot to keep track of books I’m reading for that month. I use abbreviations to keep the daily writing easier and to save space. As I review each completed month, I can go back to see what I’ve accomplished and keep track of when I wrote each piece.

Whether you use something pre-made or customize something for yourself, use whatever works for you and helps you stay accountable to yourself.

A third, and perhaps most important, aspect in accountability in your writing is taking care of yourself as a writer. Than can mean giving yourself space and not being hard on yourself if

you don’t reach your goals each day or each week.

Flexibility and refreshment are paramount to your health as a writer. It also frees up your creativity and can actually help you produce more quality writing in the long run.

I enjoy writing in my journal, reading fiction or memoir, and watching a good movie with my family. Taking a walk, listening to music, talking with your family members, and just taking time to sit and enjoy life are all ways you can be good to

yourself—and ultimately accountable—as a writer.

Learn to celebrate your accomplishments and your uniqueness as a writer. That’s one of the best ways to be accountable—to yourself!

A 21 Day Refresh Intensive E-Course!

Dawn is now offering a 21 Day Refresh Intensive Course that enables you to Activate Your Intuition, Honor Your Preferences and Listen to Your Life Messages. It is available for purchase as a downloadable PDF so you can take it any time for your refreshment!

About Me

Dawn is a watercolor and collage artist, writer, Host of #JournalChat Live and Creative and Social Media Consultant. She enjoys sharing insights, humor, and encouragement as she shares from her life experiences. She enjoys keeping a journal and reading spiritual texts to help keep the light on. Hope you enjoy perusing the blog posts and in the process, get to know her a bit better. Enjoy your stay!

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You can check out my website: www.dawnherring.net. There you will find info on my writing services, my bio and journaling resources and my book, The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child. Enjoy your stay!

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If you desire to discover what Your Authentic Refreshment might be so you can enhance and benefit your life, you'll welcome to purchase a 30 minute Refresh Session with Dawn **by phone or Skype, initiating the discovery process toward Your Authentic Refreshment. (A 30 Minute Refresh Session is $75.)

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My eBook: The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child

I'm so excited to share with you my new ebook, The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child.

The Birthday Wall is my detailed, step-by-step instructional book that shows how to create a multi-dimensional, colorful visual collage to help celebrate your child's Birthday. As creator of this family tradition, I share how to research, plan, gather, create and display all the elements of your child's birthday wall which can help affirm, validate, and show appreciation for your child.

Follow this link which takes you to the Parent to Parent page of HSLDA's Home School Court Report. In their Sept/Oct 2009 edition and on this page, My reason for Homeschooling has been published under Dawn H. You're welcome to check it out!